We have a leadership team member who perfectly fits our core values and works eighty hours a week, but they clearly do not get, want, or have the capacity for their seat. I am hesitant to make a change because they are the cultural heart of the company. What do I do?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic right-person, wrong-seat issue, and it is one of the hardest challenges an owner faces. This person is a cultural champion who lives your core values, but they have hit their ceiling. By keeping them in a seat they cannot handle, you are hurting both the business and the individual.

An incompetent leader in a critical seat slows down execution and frustrates the high performers who report to them. It creates cracks on your leadership team that will eventually fracture the rest of your organization. It also blocks you from building the exit-ready operational structure that future buyers look for.

You must address this using the GWC™ tool. If they do not get, want, or have the capacity to do the job at the level required for your current scale, they cannot stay in that seat. Working eighty hours a week is actually a red flag indicating a lack of capacity.

Since they are the right person, your first step should be to look for another seat on the Accountability Chart where they can succeed. Is there a specialist role or a different department where their skills and values fit perfectly?

If no such seat exists, you must transition them out of the company. Keeping them in a seat where they are constantly failing is not kind. Handle the transition with respect, appreciation, and generous support, but do not compromise on the health of your leadership team.